Siren Season 2 Episode 16 Review: New World Order
Rachel Foertsch
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Everything has changed on Siren Season 2 Episode 16. Or at least, that's what we thought. Beth's family was right to worry about the mermaids' secret getting out, because once it did, all hell broke loose.
Related: Siren Season 2 Episode 15 Review: Sacrifice
"New World Order" felt less like an episode of Siren, and more like a group of friends who are on the run and trying to survive the apocalypse.
It feels like I say this every episode since the show continues to get better with time, but Siren Season 2 Episode 16 truly is the best installment to date.
Have you ever heard the saying "aging like fine wine?" No other phrase could fit Siren better.
One of the biggest reasons Siren evolves so well is its ability to expand on the world the series created.
Rather than keeping the story confined to the small town of Bristol Cove, it builds outward and provides the opportunity for major storylines to come from anyone and anywhere.
Related: Siren Eps Tease Ian's Threat to the Mermaid Secret and an "Edge of Your Seat" Finale
If Siren can tell such a huge story on such a small network, I can't even imagine what Siren could do if it was on a bigger platform with a bigger budget.
To put it plainly, it almost feels as if the show is too good for Freeform.
Siren is targeted towards a younger audience, but if it was on a different network it would have all the potential to be the next Walking Dead.
Sadly, Freeform, whose recent viewership ratings have stayed in the low hundred thousands, is holding it back from reaching its full potential.
But Siren was able to make the best damn lemonade out of a batch of less than mediocre lemons, and it's incredible what the show can do despite its limitations.
It's partially because of these limitations, that the entirety of Siren Season 2 Episode 16 was a figment of Ben's imagination.
In a way, we should have seen it coming. The moment Ben went into the water to free Ryn, there seemed to be a bit of hesitation and then none at all.
The way it was filmed struck me as a bit odd, but it was hard to think anything of it once the ball was rolling.
As happy as I am that Helen, Ben, Maddie, and Ryn are safe, I couldn't help but be a bit disappointed that none of it was real.
Rick: They've been using us for tests.
Helen: What kind of tests?
Rick: To see how fast we can heal.
It's understandable that it would have been difficult to move forward after what happened, but was anyone else interested to see how Siren could write its way out of that corner?
Ben, Maddie, and Ryn on the run and traveling an apocalyptic-like world trying to find a safe haven is an incredible story to tell, but it appears as if it's not a story Siren is ready to tell yet.
Which brings us to another question. If the secret of the mermaids got out, was this really how everyone would have reacted? Or was it how Ben assumed everything would go down?
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Essentially, Siren Season 2 Episode 16 was viewers experiencing Ben's worst nightmare. I'd like to believe that the military wouldn't have been able to take those kinds of drastic steps and that Xander and Calvin wouldn't have sold out the mermaids for money, but who knows?
Did you hear what I just said? How much they're offering?
Xander
Maybe one day, we'll find out.
Even though they're not on the run, Ben did make the ultimate sacrifice for Ryn.
Maddie: And Ian?
Ben: I couldn't save him.
As shown countless times throughout Siren Season 1 and Siren Season 2, Ben is a hero. But he's also not the type of person who goes around flaunting his heroism.
If someone is in danger, whether it's his best friend or a stranger on the street, Ben doesn't hesitate to put his life on the line. He never demands any recognition or even asks for a thank you.
It comes down to who Ben is at his core.
Leaving Ian behind to die is something that will undoubtfully haunt Ben for his entire life.
It's a bit surprising that the show would put Ben in this situation in the first place, but it gives him the opportunity to have an emotional storyline full of guilt and self-doubt on Siren Season 3.
You did everything you could.
Maddie
As a final cliffhanger, it was revealed that the implantation was successful and that Meredith is now carrying Ryn's baby. No matter who it's growing in, the fact remains that the baby is Ryn's.
Related: 13 Reasons Why Renewed for Final Season at Netflix - Watch Season 3 Trailer
Once she finds out, there's nothing she won't do to get her child back. And Ben and Maddie will go to any lengths necessary to help her.
Ryn's baby and the fallout of Ben's choice appear to be the two main stories leading us into Siren Season 3.
Stray Thoughts:
- It may have been part of an alternate universe, but Ben selflessly taking the floor so Maddie and Ryn could cuddle up together to sleep was precious. It's a minor detail, but it's the little things that make the Ben/Maddie/Ryn relationship so beautiful.
- I've said it multiple times, and I'll say it again. I still miss Nicole.
- Ben's dad is becoming more and more suspicious about the night of his wife's accident, and like Ben, when he sets his mind to something there's nothing he can't accomplish. Could the mermaids' secret be in danger once again?
- Will the military conduct an exploration of the echo chamber? It wasn't touched on too much after the fact, but an underwater healing sanctum doesn't seem like something the military will let go of.
- Ben's mom is going to walk next season. That's my prediction. The stem cell procedure may be far more difficult than she realizes, but we all know how far Ben will go to help the people he loves.
What did you think of Siren Season 2 Episode 16, Siren fans? Drop a comment down below and let us know!
And don't forget that if you missed the episode you can watch Siren online right here at TV Fanatic.
Siren will return for Season 3 on Freeform.
